Glimpses of India

Part I A Baker from Goa

1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the Portuguese and their loaves of bread.
2. How do they remember it?
They remember about it fondly.
3. What equipments do the Goan people still own there?
They still have amongst them the mixtures, the moulders and time-tested furnaces
and those who bake the loaves.
4. What are those bakers known in Goa?
Those bakers are known as ‘pader’ in Goa.
5. What does the thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo indicate?
It indicates the announcement of the arrival of the baker in the morning.
6. What announces the arrival of the baker in Goa?
The thud and jingle of the specially made bamboo staff announces the arrival of the
traditional baker.
7. How would the baker greet the lady of the house?
The baker would greet the lady of the house with ‘good morning’.
8. What did the children long to get from the baker?
The children longed for to get bread-bangles from the baker.
9. What kind of fragrance does the author still recall?
The author still recalls the typical fragrance of the baker’s loaves.
10.What kind of dress the bakers was?
A single piece long frock reaching down to the knees.
11.When did the baker collect his bills?
The baker collected his bills at the end of the month.
12.How were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?
The monthly accounts recorded on some wall in pencil.
13.Why is the baker essential for the Goan people?
Most of the celebrations and festivals need supply of bread so the baker’s furnace is
essential for the Goan people.
14.Why did the baker and his family always look happy and prosperous?
The baker used to collect his bills at the end of the month. Baking was indeed a
profitable business in
the old days. The baker and his family never starved. Their plump physique was an
open testimony that they were happy and prosperous.
15.Why would the children run to meet and greet the baker?
The jingling thud of the baker’s bamboo would wake up the children from their
sleep. They would run to meet and greet him to get bread bangles or sometimes
sweet bread of special make.
16.What indicates the presence of the ‘patters’ still in Goa?
The presence of the ‘paders’ in Goa even today is indicated by the fact that still
there are mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Moreover, those age-
old time-tested furnaces still exist.
17.What would the baker do after his musical entry?
The baker would greet the lady of the house with ‘good morning’ and then place
his basket on the bamboo after his musical entry.
18.How did the pader treat the kids who surrounded him?
The pader treated the kids who surrounded him, very kindly he would push them
aside with a mild rebuke.
19.Was baking a profitable profession?
Yes, baking was really a profitable profession as the bread was an important part of
the food of the Goan people. The bakers earned well and kept servants. Their
families looked happy and prosperous. They never starved.
20.What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
The elders in Goa are much fond of loaves of bread. Those were the Portuguese
days and the people liked the breads of different types very much.
21.Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
Bread-making is still popular in Goa. We can see the mixers, the moulders and
those who bake the loaves. Most of their festivals and other occasions will become
meaningless without the loaves of the bread. The ladies of the house prepare
sandwiches on the occasion of their daughter’s engagement.
22.What is the baker called?
The baker is called ‘Pader’ in Goa. They wear special dresses.
23.When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?
The baker would come at least twice a day. The morning was his selling round and
he returned after selling them. Children ran to meet and greet him because they
needed bread bangles from him. They also got sweet bread of special make.
24.What did the bakers wear?
(i) in the Portuguese days?
(ii) when the author was young?

(i) The bakers wore a particular dress called ‘Kabai’. It was a single-piece long
frock reaching down to the knees.
(ii) The bakers wore a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full length ones
and longer than half pants.
25.Who invites the comment—‘he is dressed like a pader’? Why?
The dress of Pader’ invites comments because it reaches just below the knees. It
looks odd, funny and makes one’s figure like a joker.
26.Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?
The monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on a wall. It was written in
pencil.
27.What does a ‘jackfruit’—like appearance’ mean?
Any person with a ‘jackfruit—like appearance’ is easily compared to a baker.
28.What did the baker do first once he reached a house?
The baker would first greet the lady of the house by saying “Good Morning”. He
would then place the basket on the vertical bamboo and deliver the loaves to the
servant.

29.How did the baker make his entry?

The baker used to enter with the Jingling sound of his specially made bamboo staff.
His one hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on
the ground.
30.How do we get to know that the makers of bread still exist?
The narrator states that the eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are
still there. He further says that those age old, time tested furnaces still exist and the
fire in the furnaces had not yet been extinguished.
31.What is the importance of breads for the Goans?
or
Why was the Baker’s furnace essential in a traditional Goan village?

Different kinds of breads are important during the different occasions. Bolinhas had
to be prepared during Christmas and other festivals. The mothers used to prepare
sandwiches on the occasion of their daughter’s engagement. So, the baker’s furnace
was essential.

32.Describe the dress of the bakers.

The bakers had a peculiar dress earlier known as the kabai. It was a one piece long
frock reaching down to the knees.
33.Describe the pen-portrait of a traditional Goan village baker.
There is a deep impact of Portuguese culture on Goan life. The baker is also a part
of this culture. They are known as paders in Goa. When author was a child, one
could see the traditional baker in the village. He used to be friend of children. He
visited the house twice a day. Children arose with the sound of thud and jingle of
the bamboo in the morning. They would run to greet him. Children were fond of
sweet bread and the bread bangles. The ladies of the house bought the bread. Bakers
were professional and it was a family business. It was a profitable business and most
of the bakers were plump. They had their peculiar traditional dress called Kabai.
34.“Not enough can be said to show now important a baker can be for a village”.
How were the services of the baker required on various occasions?
 OR
Why was the baker’s furnace essential in a traditional Goan village?
A baker is very important and essential for a Goan village. He does not merely
represent a profession but a highly admired Portuguese tradition. His breads are
essential on each and every occasion. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the
sweet bread known as the bol. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well
as other festival. He enjoys respect and love of the people. The children consider
him their friend, companion and guide. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in
the village is absolutely necessary.
35.Rodrigues describe his childhood and the bakers of Goa. What does he
remember so fondly about these bakers?
OR
What, according to the author, do the elders of Goa think fondly about the
past?
Rodrigues describes his childhood and old Portuguese days and their famous loaves
of bread. The bakers are known pader in Goa. The writer remembers a baker fondly.
The baker would come at least twice a day for selling his bread. The jingling thud of
his bamboo would wake the children and they would run to meet and greet him. The
children longed for his visit for those bread-bangles or sometimes for sweet bread of
special make. The baker would greet the lady of the house with ‘good morning’.
Then he would place his basket on the vertical bamboo. He collected the bill at the
end of the month.
36.Baking was considered an important and a profitable profession in a
traditional Goan village. Explain.
OR
Bread and cakes were essential of Goan life in older days. Describe the
memories that the author recollects about good old Portuguese days and their
loaves of bread.

In olden days, Goa was very much influenced by the Portuguese. Baking was
considered an essential and profitable profession in a traditional Goan village. The
Portuguese were famous for preparing the loaves of bread. Baking was the
traditional family work. The villages were much fond of the sweet bread known as
‘bol’. The marriage gifts were meaningless without it. So the bakers furnaces were
the most essential and ‘cakes and bolinhas’ formed an important item there. At
various occasions like Christmas and other festivals the bakers would collect the bill
at the end of month. Baking was a profitable profession in olden days.
37.Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life, in olden days. Based on
your reading of the “A Baker from Goa”, describe the Goan culture.
Goa in west India, called golden Goa by the Portuguese, has an important
Portuguese colony in Asia. The Portuguese were driven by their desire to spread
 their faith to the local population. Thus the culture of Goa is deeply influenced by
Portuguese culture. Modem day Goa, a state of India, is a quaint blend of tradition,
religion and modernity. Hindu temples are as much a part of Goa as are Christian
monuments. The culture of Goa today is a synthesis of Portuguese and Indian
cultures. It is one of the most attractive cultures in India. A Goan is said to be born
with music in his blood and music literally accompanies him from the cradle to the
grave. Musical traditions run in generations.
38.“The custom of baking bread is closely associated with Goan culture”.
Explain/Discuss, with reference to the chapter ‘A baker from Goa’.
Bread forms an essential part of the Goan culture. There is no party or festival
without bread. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the
bol. Any party or a feast loses its charm without bread. A baker is very important
for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her
daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as
other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely
essential. Loaves of bread are very popular in Goa and is a staple food even in
remote villages. The bread has health benefits. There are still a few small bakeries
left in some of the smaller towns.
39.Instead of enjoying their childhood the children today are keen to enter
adulthood. After reading about all the joys that the author Lucio Rodrigues
had in his childhood, do you think such a keenness on the part of children is
desirable?
Rodrigues describes his childhood. Those were good old Portuguese days, the
Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. The loaves were baked in the furnaces
and one can see them even today. The baker visited the house twice a day. In the
morning thud and jingle of the bamboo would awake people and children would run
to greet him. It was their traditional family work. Those bakers are known as
paders.in Goa. They have their peculiar dress. The maid servants purchased the
loaves. The bakers also sold breads bangles, sweet bread of special make, cakes and
bolinhas. He collected the bill at the end of the month.
40.Instead of enjoying their childhood, the children today are keen to enter
adulthood. After reading about all the joys that the author Lucio Rodrigues
had in his childhood do you think such a keenness on the part of children is
desirable?
I don’t think that the keenness of the children these days to enter adulthood is
desirable. Children these days are in a hurry to enter adulthood and have access to
technology. Due to this they are learning things earlier than usual and getting
matured beyond their age.
Hence, they are losing out their childhood and missing the joys that it brings with it.
As per my thinking, they should grow at a slow pace and enjoy their childhood to
 the fullest. Children who miss out on their childhood cannot be a complete adult.
So, they should not hurry up to be an adult and grow at nature’s pace.
41.After reading the story ‘A Baker from Goa”, do you think our traditions,
heritage, values and practices are the roots that nourish us? Why/why not? 
‘A Baker from Goa’ highlights the importance of the traditional practice of making
breads for every occasion and festival of the Goan people. This tradition continues
even today. This shows how our traditional practices can keep us to our past and
heritage.
Traditional values shape our personality and also provide us emotional support.
They enable us to face difficult situations and makes us mentally strong. Traditional
practices also have an impact on our behavioural pattern towards the other people in
society.

42.‘During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and
guide.’ What does this statement imply in relation tofhe character of the
baker?
This statement tells us that the baker was a very respected person in the Goan
society because he would guide the children about good behaviour (when he mildly
rebuked them for peeping into his basket and giving respect to the elders (when he
wished “Good morning” to the lady of the house) etc. He was very informal with
the children and so the author
considered him as a friend and companion. He was not simply a vendor interested in
selling what he made. Thus, he was an important character in the Goan society of
those days.